Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar: An Esteemed Time Keeper

Patek Philippe's Perpetual Calendar is one of the most beloved perpetual calendar watches. Thanks to its complicated mechanics, its calendar doesn't need to be manually corrected until 2100. Patek watches with this complication are good investments.

Highlights

Luxury watches with in-house calibers

18-karat gold or platinum cases

Solid investments

Classic, elegant design

True watchmaking art: The Perpetual Calendar Chronograph

Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar: The First of Its Kind

Patek Philippe and complicated watches go hand in hand. There's no other manufacturer so well known for intricate complications like this Swiss family business. The most intricate pocket watches and wristwatches in the world are from this Genevan luxury manufacturer. In 2014, they presented the Grandmaster Chime, the most complicated wristwatch in the world.

The term "complication" refers to additional functions of a mechanical movement besides displaying the hour, minutes, and seconds. There are big and small complications. Small complications are, for example, a date, weekday, or moon phase display, as well as automatic winding. Big complications, on the other hand, are chronographs, world timers, and the perpetual calendar.

Of course, the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar has a perpetual calendar. Patek Philippe had already released a wristwatch with a perpetual calendar in 1925 - the first wristwatch with a perpetual calendar in the world. The movement for this watch had existed since 1898, however. Originally, Patek Philippe had planned to use the caliber in a pocket watch. The calendar complication was special because the hand for the day and the date moved to the next position exactly at midnight. The caliber disappeared from the scene, however, as the public wasn't enthralled by its complicated mechanics. By the mid-1920s, wristwatches were much more important than at the turn of the century. Therefore, Patek Philippe set the movement in a wristwatch case. A short time later, the watch with reference number 97975 found a buyer. Now, this timepiece is priceless.

Buying Advice

The perpetual calendar is a particularly sought-after and beloved complication by watch collectors and enthusiasts. Thanks to its complicated construction, the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar belongs to the Grand Complications collection. The Sky Moon Tourbillon and the Celestial also belong to this collection. Both models have astronomical complications. The Sky Moon Tourbillon is one of the most complicated wristwatches in the world and costs over a million euros. The Celestial is less expensive; you can buy it new for around 230,000 euros.

A Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar can be purchased for around 30,000 euros. These watches are often pre-owned and in very good condition. New models cost around 50,000 euros. If you'd like a watch with both a perpetual calendar and a chronograph, then the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph is a good idea. Pre-owned models are available for around 75,000 euros, while new they cost 100,000 euros. Generally, a Patek Philippe watch is considered an excellent investment that will only increase in value over the years.

Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar: From Classic to Ultra-Thin

The Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar is available in many different versions. Some are rather classic and elegant, while others are a bit sportier. Every model is a perfect dress watch to pair with a suit. With a Patek on your wrist, you show that you have refined taste for beauty and fine mechanics. Models with reference number 5159 have an especially traditional look with their Roman numerals and thin lugs. These watches are available in 18-karat white, yellow, or rose gold. The light-colored dial is guilloched by hand in the middle. Arabic numerals are visible above the Roman hour markers to distinguish the minutes. The moon phase display is located at six o'clock, while the day display is at nine o'clock and the month display at three o'clock. The watch has a retrograde date display. Beneath 12 o'clock is the leap year display. A sapphire glass case back gives you a clear look at the caliber 324 S QR, although a hinged lid protects it. The case diameter is 38 mm.

The caliber 324 S QR is made of 361 pieces, 30 of them rubies. As the caliber is automatic, you never have to wind it yourself. It has a power reserve of up to 45 hours, and a balance frequency of 28,800 alternations per hour (A/h).

The Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar with reference number 5140 has a sportier look than the 5159 thanks to its curved lugs, which make the case more dynamic. Even the applied gold or diamond indices appear less traditional. The dial is available in black or anthracite. Patek decided on dauphine hands for this timepiece. The day and 24-hour displays are at nine o'clock and the moon phase and date displays are at six o'clock. The watch tells you the current month and year at three o'clock. The case of the watch with reference number 5140 is made of either platinum or white, yellow, or rose gold. The case diameter is 37.2 mm. The watch is especially thin and fits perfectly under shirt cuffs - it's a truly understated piece.

Patek Philippe uses the caliber 240 Q in the watch with reference number 5140. This movement is ultra thin at only 3.88 mm and has a diameter of 27.5 mm. A micro rotor winds the mainspring bidirectionally, and the movement has a 48-hour power reserve. Its balance frequency is 21,600 A/h and it's comprised of 275 pieces. Patek Philippe introduced the caliber 240 Q towards the end of the 1970s in reference number 3940.

Features

No calendar correction necessary until 2100

Reference number 5140 is particularly thin

Classic dress watch

With a Timer: Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph

Patek Philippe is a true specialist when it comes to crafting chronographs. Time and time again, this manufacturer has proven their skills. Highlights of the manufacturer are their watches featuring a perpetual calendar and stopwatch. Patek Philippe released the first Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in 1941. The watch had reference number 1518 and displayed the day of the week, date, month, and moon phase on the dial side. At the time, the chronograph did not yet have a leap year display. Patek Philippe only produced 281 copies of this incredibly expensive wristwatch. Since the 1518 model is extremely rare, collectors pay enormous sums of money for one. One happy owner was the boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, although not for long: Only a few months after receiving the watch, it was stolen from him during a boxing match. The Perpetual Chronograph with reference number 2499 is also quite rare and coveted.

Current models with reference number 5204 have a case diameter of 40 mm and are available in rose gold or platinum, thus making them well suited for almost every wrist. The dial is either black or silver. The applied gold indices are luminous and make it easy to read the watch even in the dark. The day and month display is located beneath 12 o'clock. The small seconds is at nine o'clock and the 30-minute counter for the chronograph is at three o'clock. The moon phase display and current date are located at six o'clock, while the leap year display is located between four and five o'clock. As this model is a double chronograph, you can time intervals as well thanks to two central stopwatch hands. The mechanical, manual caliber CHR 29-535 PS Q powers the 5204 and has a power reserve of 65 hours. Its balance wheel oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 A/h.

If you'd prefer a white gold Perpetual Chronograph, then take a look at the watches with reference numbers 5270G-018 and 5270G-019. Alternatively, the 5270 is available in rose gold or platinum. The platinum version is a special piece of jewelry thanks to its 58 diamonds on the bezel and lugs. Even the clasp is set with 22 diamonds. The case diameter of this watch is 41 mm. The dial is available in silver, black, and blue and features applied gold indices. In terms of functionality, the 5270 and 5204 differ in that the 5270 is not a double chronograph. This watch does, however, feature a perpetual calendar and a normal chronograph. The manual caliber CH 29-535 PS Q has a power reserve of 65 hours and vibrates at a frequency of 28,800 A/h.